Comments (42)

By kilax, September 1, 2015 7:55 am

Woo hoo, eight years married*, today!

^inside of my wedding band, in case I forget, ha! Steven has it in his, too. 

Another year, no plans. Although that photo is making me feel REALLY hungry for cake! Maybe we need cake plans.

Dayum. Our cake was so good. We ordered it from Deerfields Bakery (this is before I was vegan). The cake was marble, with alternating chocolate and regular buttercream between each level. AND, we ordered two extra sheet cakes, because I LOVE CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK** and wanted everyone to be able to eat as much as they wanted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ha ha ha, this plan backfired a bit. We had so much leftover cake (I know, you’re thinking, “that is a problem how…?”) that our fridge was full of it. And we kept eating it. Then we thought the fridge was broken because nothing was staying cool, so we threw what cake we had left out (minus the frozen top teir, of course), along with some other food.

Then after we threw it out, we realized the cake box was too big and that was keeping the fridge door open. Oops! The fridge was working fine after all (once you closed the door)! Ha!

But I digress, with all that cake talk. What I often think about on our anniversary, beyond how happy I am to have Steven as my partner-in-crime, is how I don’t keep in touch with three of my (four) bridesmaids! Eek! It’s funny to me, that at the time I was getting married, I struggled to think of three people to be bridesmaids (beyond my snister as my maid-of-honor, obvs), because I had so few friends. If I was getting married today, that wouldn’t be a problem! And I bet Steven would still ask the same four guys to be groomsmen.

Anyways. We’re a very happy family of three! And this is a COMPLETELY horrible photo, but I have to show how Data participated in the wedding – by being front and center when we opened gifts the day after!

I love how he has his feet resting on Steven’s shoe – what a goofball! (Also, I have since learned how to sit in a chair with a skirt on.)

*I almost wrote “together,” but that’s not right – we’ve been together thirteen years on September 11th!
**It’s a thing for me and Gina to call it CAK, instead of CAKE, when we are excited about it…

Comments (19)

By kilax, August 31, 2015 6:27 am

It seems like people have been giving us rave reviews of Devil’s Lake State Park (in Wisconsin) since we moved to Illinois:

“The hiking is amazing!”

“It’s beautiful!”

“The landscape doesn’t seem like it belongs in Wisconsin!”

“The lake and beach are great!”

And warnings:

“It’s very popular – you have to book your campsite months in advance.”

Hearing all that, it’s a place we’ve wanted to check out for a long time, and finally did this weekend, with Rachel and her husband! And we did book our campsite months in advance – at the beginning of April. Ha, gave us lots of time to look forward to it, right?!

Unfortunately, with booking months in advance (or really, a week in advance), you don’t know what the weather is going to be like, and our first night (Friday) at the campsite had storms so we decided to head up Saturday morning, instead of camping there two nights as planned*.

It was still really foggy and overcast when we got there, and I wondered if it would clear up! Rachel and I went on a run where we climbed and climbed and we weren’t even awarded with a view! Ha ha. The fog looked neat (and eerie!) though!

We took the East Bluff Woods Trail up

And I have to say, right away, it did feel like we were somewhere… not in Wisconsin. Ha! Devil’s Lake was created 12,000 years ago during the last ice age (source) when a glacier deposited moraines at two gaps between the Baraboo Hills. The Baraboo Hills have been there for over a billion years, and are known for their 500-foot-high quartzite bluffs! Bluffs like that are definitely not something I am used to seeing around here!

Click on image to see larger

After our run, we set up camp, made lunch, and it started to clear up! Beyond the storms the previous night, the temperature was great for camping – we could hike without feeling horrible, and sleep comfortably (as much as you can in a tent, anyway). There weren’t even that many bugs! Whuuuuuut?!?!

Rachel and Steven and I set out for a hike on Saturday. Ha. It turned in to a bit of a epic hike, due to a trail closure. We started out on the easy East Bluff Trail, to get views of the lake and see rock formations…

We saw a whole group hiking with their remote control cars! Fun!

… then when we got to the trail junction, the trail we planned to take down the bluff was closed so we had to hike down a 400′ drop in .3 miles (on the Potholes Trail)! And Steven had his DSLR on him! Eek! That was interesting. I slipped twice, once grabbing a tree before falling, and the second time, landing on my butt. It didn’t help that the lady behind me would say “watch out!” Um… yeah, I am. It was still a bit slick out from the previous night’s rain. That hike down was SCARY! It definitely would have been easier to go up it. We couldn’t believe we saw people carrying babies, going up! I hope they took an easier route down!

We were relived when we got to flat land, and took the long way back, along the Tumbled Rocks Trail on the other side of the lake. I thought it was really cool we got to go all the way around the lake. We hiked nearly 6 miles!

Which means when we got back, we were exhausted. Steven and I took a short nap**, then we all started dinner when we got up. Rachel and I had discussed meal ideas earlier in the week, and she very helpfully made a list of who should bring what (with her bringing much more of the camping supplies – they camp way more than us and it was nice for us to rely on them for some equipment!). We had canned chili for lunch, burgers and potatoes for dinner, and pancakes and fruit for breakfast the next day.

Ha ha, now, a bit about the campsite. The campsites are nice, with lots of amenities at the beaches. We were close enough to a bathroom with actual plumbing (there were pit toilets as well), and single stall showers that were a generous size (!!!). However… we all decided the campsite, in general, was too open for us . We got a site (#163 here) on the very edge, next to the woods, which made it feel more private, but we were right next to a major part of the campground road. And we could still see and hear everyone and everything. Camping isn’t about peace and quiet at a place like that, obviously, but we’re all the type that desire a bit more seclusion.

And we think that because our campsite was really close to the woods, our fire pit didn’t have any holes in it to let air in (so as to keep the fire smaller and under control?), so keeping a fire going took a lot of work! We were able to cook all our food, but not without some frustration (on everyone else’s end – I was all “derpitty do”).

With no fire, and feeling so tired from hiking, we went to bed nice and early on Saturday night! Ahhh! We brought our big (now, only*) tent, and it’s comfortable to sleep in. I did have to get up twice for the venture to the bathroom though, and to get more blankets. And I was having really horrible dreams. Eek!

But I woke up excited for pancakes, and to hike a trail on the opposite side of the lake!

This time, Rachel and Kevin and I went out for a hike. We took the West Bluffs Trail up and the Tumbled Rocks Trail back to where we started.

It was a less challenging hike than the day before, but we still hiked almost 4 miles, and my body still felt it, ha! Rachel and I were really impressed to see people running up the steeper trails. And really, running down them – the declines are no joke! There is actually a race series on these trails – Dances with Dirt – and after hiking there, I just can’t imagine trying to go any long distance there. Although, the course map makes it look like the races stay away from the bluffs. Anyway. Totally not on my radar. Really, hiking made me feel a bit out of shape, so maybe getting a bit healthier should be on my radar! Moving on…

We packed up after our hike, checked out the beach for a bit (brrr! but it felt so good on our legs), then headed home. The campground is about a three hour drive from our house, and I could totally see us going there again – maybe for a day? Rachel was saying how beautiful it is in the fall when the leaves change color! I can only imagine!!!

It was a fun weekend and we would like to camp again with Rachel and Kevin, and I’d like to become a more efficient camping packer! I did really well this time – the only things I brought and didn’t use were some clothes and s’more ingredients (sadness) – but I feel like I could get better about packing. Despite putting everything in specific bags for certain activities and meals, I still felt like my stuff was all over and I was going back and forth to the car a lot. Hmm, maybe that is what this type of camping is all about?

*Ha, Steven actually camped the previous weekend too, and our small tent was destroyed by a storm the second night, so we were TOTALLY fine with not setting up our tent in a storm, then sleeping
**We woke up when someone drove by and yelled “I am going to eat every one of you!!!” Ha ha ha… ok?

Comments (23)

By kilax, August 27, 2015 6:21 am

Last week was the new water heater, this week was the new kitchen backsplash…

… next up? New kitchen and foyer floor! Muchos improvements en nuestra casa!

I am SO happy with how the backsplash turned out. And relieved. We spent quite a bit of time at Home Depot (three locations), Lowe’s and Menards, and felt like we couldn’t find anything we liked that was in our price range, that didn’t look cheap, and wasn’t too dark/in the right color range. We thought we were going to have to go to a tile shop and custom design something, when we ran across this tile when we were shopping for our new water heater.

It looked good taped against the wall that night, but the real judgement day came this week when it was installed (we contracted out). And… we both love it! Phew!

My uncertainty with finishes makes me laugh, since my title at work is “Interior Designer.” Ugh. What a lie! I had to tell someone my job title the other day, and the conversation didn’t warrant me explaining what I really do, and right away, they responded with comments about how they could use someone like me to help set up their new house, how good I must be with finishes, and so on. That response makes sense given what that title implies!!! But then I feel like a jackarse when I tell them that’s not what I actually do at work. I suppose there is no reason to let on to my lack of interior design skills if it’s not someone I’ll ever see again. Ha ha.

GC Data inspecting the work (before being told to get off the counter!!!)

Comments (25)

By kilax, August 24, 2015 6:01 am

When I was a senior in high school, I had open lunch* (do kids still get that, these days?) and a friend of mine who’d graduated two years before would come meet me. Which was AWESOME because we were only allocated twenty-five minutes for break, and having a friend come with food meant I actually got to enjoy lunch, instead of rushing around to get food then scarfing it down. (SIDE RANT: I totally blame how fast I eat on this (among other things)).

But what was even better about her visiting was that SHE BROUGHT HER CAT!

Pre lunch cat-ppetizer. His name was Peaches, afterall.

A mutual friend of ours found this cat when he was just a few weeks old. My friend adopted him and had to bottle feed him for several weeks! Craziness!

But the cool thing about adopting him so young was that we had a lot of influence on his behavior (well, as much as you can with a cat). So I told my friend “You should take him on car rides so he’s used to riding in the car and doesn’t mind it!”

An that is exactly what she did. And I got to see him on my lunch break. Some nice cat therapy in the middle of the day!

I randomly remembered this when I was driving to Iowa this weekend. And thought to myself, “Man, it would be so nice to have cat therapy in the middle of the day at work. That would really calm me down.”

Then… duh. I work from home a lot of the time. Steven brings Data over to my desk when he can tell I am stressed, and it DOES calm me.

And sometimes he visits my desk on his own…

Which is surprisingly NOT calming, ha.

But seriously, when is something like this going to pop up by my office?! I think I was on to something back in high school…

*I had it as a junior too, and sometimes took it as a sophomore (shhhh).

Comments (15)

By kilax, August 18, 2015 6:14 am

A friend of mine is moving her oldest child in to college this week, and of course, it made me think back to when my parents (and snister, and then boyfriend (eek!)) helped me move in to Iowa State University.

This picture is nuts! Dad’s hair is so dark! Christina is playing with a generic version of a PalmPilot! That carpet is crazy! Why did I think it was necessary to bring a giant stuffed turtle to college?! Ha ha ha.

It blows my mind to look at this picture now, and think about how I had no idea what direction my life would take. I had no idea I’d meet my future partner two days after this photo was taken. That I would start this blog and make friends all over the country (and parts of the world!). That I’d get to travel overseas twice in college. That I’d end up moving to Chicagoland. That I would work in private industry for a year and a half after college then move to a public sector job. That I’d get so in to running and exercise and eventually become a personal trainer. Crazy crazy crazy.

I wonder if most people look back and think, “Wow, it’s kind of nuts how I ended up where I am.”

Or maybe most people actually have one of those “life plan” thingys and some idea where they are headed?!

Ha ha. That is SO not me. Life planning* and goal setting do NOT come naturally to me. It’s a struggle. I am more likely to just see where the endless possibilities of life take me. And for me (and maybe a lot of people?) that mostly started when I left the nest.

*I mean long term planning. I am decent with short term. But five-year plan? Ten-year? Twenty? No idea.

Comments (23)

By kilax, August 13, 2015 6:18 am

I was on the track team in junior high. Everyone who wanted to be on the track team… got to be on the track team – you didn’t have to compete for spots (read: I wasn’t very good, but was really in to all the sports in junior high, for some odd reason).

Only a few things stick out to me about junior high track: how scared I was of the hurdles (still true), how I was always in the middle/back of the pack (still true), disliking running on the track in the hot sun (still true), the track itself, the training route we’d run to the high school and back, and… one really weird thing.

The ponytail rule.

Seriously, this is so odd.

When we ran (in training, not at meets), our coach would shout to us from the sidelines, “I don’t want to see those ponytails going side to side! They should be going up and down!”

Um, what?!

Yeah… he didn’t want any lateral ponytail sway. Only a slight up and down vertical bob.

I couldn’t figure it out then. I can’t figure it out, now. Did we have too much lateral movement? Is that what it was about? Were we not holding our heads straight, and looking ahead? Did he want us to be robots?

And isn’t ponytail sway all about how you tie your hair up, anyway?

Ha ha ha. This actually stuck with me so much, that when I started running consistently in 2006, I thought about which way my ponytail was going. Then realized how silly it was, and wore my hair in a bun.

Ahh, the funny things we remember from our youth.

(This story makes this guy sound crazy. He wasn’t. I just don’t think I was grasping whatever he was getting at with this.)

Comments (20)

By kilax, August 11, 2015 6:29 am

When Steven and I were running errands on Sunday, we saw something that made us laugh and Steven asked if I wanted him to drive by it so I could take a picture.

“Nah,” I told him. “That’s not something I’d regret not taking a picture of.”

“What is?”

I was quick to respond – “Mostly nature stuff.”*

Stuff like this:

Those are photos I’d regretted not taking. I still think about the time I drove past this park in the early am and there was a beautiful fog over the lake, and I didn’t stop to take a picture. I keep hoping it will happen again, but it hasn’t yet.

I ran across an interesting article* (pdf here) about how baby boomers (born between 1946-1964) are starting to clean out their homes, and that their millennial age (born between 1980-2000) children don’t want their hand-me-down furniture, family heirlooms, or memorabilia.

“Millennials are living a more transient life in cities. They are trying to find stable jobs and paying off loans. They are living their life digitally through Instagram and Facebook and YouTube, and that’s how they are capturing their moments. Their whole life is on a computer; they don’t need a shoebox full of greeting cards.”

Interesting, right? Getting a bit off topic here, but the article hypothesizes that baby boomers were collectors, who enjoyed the hunt, and that while millennials were raised in the “collect-’em-all culture” (like Beanie Babies and Happy Meal toys), they’ve mostly been able to find what they want on eBay, and don’t have the space for all that stuff in their small city homes, anyway. They’d rather collect memories, than items.

It’s a huge generalization, and I know many millennials who do NOT fit that description. I know millennial collectors. And I am a millennial and have no desire to live in the city. I do HIGHLY value my digital collections, but I still have a box full of, yes, greeting cards, that mean something to me.

But getting back on track, in the article, one of the people interviewed called himself a “digital hoarder,” saying, “If I can’t store my memories of something in a computer, I’m probably not going to keep them around.”

Now, that doesn’t 100% describe me, because, like I said, I still keep tangible memorabilia around, but I am definitely a digital hoarder. My digital photo library is crazy huge. And I access it daily. Yes, referencing the older photos, too.

Capturing photos of moments I want to remember is incredibly important to me. Writing down those memories on this blog is important too. Sharing them on social media (I use Facebook), isn’t highly important to me, but I still do it from time to time (more on my blog page, than personal page).

I was listening to a podcast where the host and his interviewee talked about how people need to stop taking so many dang photos and just enjoy the moment. I see what they are saying. You go to National Monuments, or a sporting event, or a concert, or whatever, and people are taking photos the whole time (and you always presume it’s so they can immediately post it on social media to proclaim how interesting they are for doing what they are doing, AT THAT VERY MOMENT). You do wonder if they are experiencing ANYTHING.

But I don’t think we should go so far in the other direction to not take ANY photos (which is what they were saying on this podcast). Like I said, I’d regret not capturing those. And yes, part of the reason I did take these rainbow photos was to share it with people – I wanted to share my joy in seeing it. But I also wanted the photo for me. And I ran with a huge smile on my face after I saw it, while I could see it during my run, and for the rest of my run.

*And family/group photos too. Yeah, they are staged, but I like them. I like to see them, and remember why we were together.

Comments (13)

By kilax, August 8, 2015 9:33 am

Warning: grossness ahead in this post about picking at bug bites. Skip if you’d like!

All my life I have been a bug bite picker. A “scratch it until it bleeds, then continue until it forms a scab, then pick that scab off an many times as possible until it scars” sort of person. Wonderful, I know. I remember being a little girl and my mom trying to get me to stop, saying funny things like, “You’ll never be a leg model if you keep picking at those bites!” Ha ha, oh Mom.

But she was right. The scabs on my legs DO look horrible. It’s actually something I try to photoshop off of pictures before sharing them, since they look so gross. (Full disclosure – I also take the time to photoshop freaky (okay, and all) zits off my face.)

So, since getting my first tattoo last year, I have tried to be UBER mindful about not scratching at bites on my right shoulder, where the tattoo is. The last thing I want is noticeable scars around my beautiful tattoo. (And the Therapik helps!)

The problem is, bugs are only biting me on my right shoulder. Seriously. Look at the comparison from this morning’s run:

Ugh, it’s so aggravating! It seems like the bugs are going out of their way to bite me in the one spot I’d prefer they don’t! (Although they are still going for my big rump, too, ha ha.)

I felt really annoyed about it this morning, then it all came to me awhile after my run. I always run on the right side of the path/trail, and that is usually next to the prairie or woods, so, uh, duh, Kim, maybe these bugs are coming from those areas, and just want to bite what is closest to them – your right shoulder?

I mean, it does seem like I have more bites on my right side, overall.

It’s either that, or the bugs are evil and want to bite me where I don’t want to be bitten, or, they are somehow attracted to ink. Ugh. Whatever it is, I will continue to use the Therapik and not scratch.

And maybe I’ll start to be the weirdo running down the left side of the path.

Comments (34)

By kilax, August 6, 2015 6:23 am

• When I was seeing Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Sunday night, the screen went blank (and of course, at the start of the movie’s climax!). Right away, I figured it had something to do with the weather – it had been nasty windy and hot all day, and my weather app kept telling me storms were coming. But I checked the app in the theater and it wouldn’t load. Huh. Then everyone’s emergency warnings started going off on their phones for a tornado warning! Yikes! We finished the movie (I was a bit distracted) then went outside and saw some ominous clouds and a crazy lightening show. Turns out an EF-1 tornado did go by – and according to the path of travel map, it started about two and a half miles east of my house. Nuts! I know a ton of people who live in the path of travel and I’m happy no one was hurt! (And after that, very happy my car was okay outside during the movie – I had just picked it up from the shop for body work the day before.) I wonder if this is the closest I’ve been to a tornado now, or if that one in 2005 was closer.

• My summer flip flop wearing habits have caught up with me, and I have a bit of tenderness in my left heal upon waking up or after sitting down for awhile. Ahh, plantar fasciitis. I am not interested in dealing with that (I had it in opposite feet two summers in a row), so I’ve been wearing my boot at night and sneakers more often. Really, I should wear sneakers around the house, too. Maybe the ones I bought myself for my birthday? So preeeeeeeety.

• Steven got me a Therapik for my birthday.  You place it over a bug bite, and a bulb inside heats up and neutralizes the bug venom, and makes the bite itch and swell less. Sounds completely hokey but I have been using it since he got it for me and it’s really making the bites NOT itch. AMAZING!!! And really, the heat on your skin provides enough relief from the itching, I don’t care how it works, ha ha.

• Don’t worry, my sole gift wasn’t the bug bite zapper, ha ha! Steven also got me a fance new multisport watch that seems to do a million different things!

Ha ha, I only wore one watch that day.

• My mom got a smart phone this weekend. Yay! I’m super excited about this. Her dumb phone barely allowed her to receive texts, and the screen was so tiny she could barely see the photos we’d send her. Do your parents have smart phones? Are they on social media? I’ve heard a few people say that their parents shouldn’t have smart phones or be on social media, but I’ve always wanted mine to be – it’s easier to stay connected that way!
• Ha ha, I had ALL the posts last week, and hardly any this week. Seems I have turned in to a mostly “event” blog for now – I mostly write when I do an event (and my training posts). That’s okay. I keep hoping the inspiration to write about thoughts/ideas will come back, but it hasn’t.

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 74

Comments (32)

By kilax, July 31, 2015 8:05 am

Since Christina’s golden birthday last year, I had been thinking to myself, “I should throw myself a golden birthday party [when I turn 31 on the 31st]! I didn’t do anything for my 30th! That sounds fun – we can dress in gold and eat gold food, and my birthday is on a Friday and that’s a good day to party…”

Yeah… my fantasy never progressed past that. I decided my July was too busy and that the last thing I’d want to do at the end of the month was plan and throw myself a party (or have one thrown for me) – I tend to want quiet time after bouts of busyness and July was VERY busy – out of town three of the four weekends, with some weeknight engagements thrown in there, too. And, oh yeah, work’s kicking my butt. I just knew I would want a more low-key day on my actual birthday.

When I told this to my snister, she asked if I wanted her to throw together something for when we were in Iowa for RAGBRAI and the shower. I told her sure, if it wasn’t too much work! She asked if I wanted it to be a surprise, and I said yes (I love surprises).

Then I promptly forgot about that conversation, until last Friday, when we were out shopping for the baby shower and I saw a happy birthday banner. I said to Christina, “Ooo, if you still throw me a party while we’re here, will you get me one of these banners?”

She responded, “I didn’t have time to plan you a party. I was too busy planning the baby shower stuff. Sorry!”

I told her that was okay and I wasn’t upset. Because I really wasn’t. Like I mentioned yesterday, Christina did the majority of the work for the baby shower and had a July busier than mine! How could she have found time to plan another party?

So we went about the rest of our day, shopping, then taking Amber out to lunch. Christina kept getting all these phone calls from our mom. I assumed Mom was calling her to ask about shower stuff, and I was surprised she wasn’t asking me – I was in charge of food, after all (and Mom was spending the morning making a few dishes). But I didn’t mind that she was bothering Christina! I laughed at lunch when Mom called and Christina had to be all quiet with her answers in front of Amber – we were trying to keep all the shower details a secret!

After all our shower errands Friday morning, Christina and I had a few free hours in the afternoon. We were going to get pedicures, but didn’t make the appointments in advance, so I decided to take a nap instead. I felt bad, napping, when I could have been hanging out with my family, but, hey! I biked a ton of miles the previous two days (and had run 11 miles that morning) – give me a break!

When I woke up I felt really bad though – Christina had finished up party prep stuff while I was sleeping! “I thought we’d do that at Grandma’s tonight?” I asked her. Eh, she was up and wanted to get it done and didn’t seem upset I slept through it. Phew.

So I asked what our plans for the night where. The family all typically converges at my dad’s mom’s house when we’re in town, and I figured that’s what was up. I was right. Christina told me we were supposed to pick up Amber at 6:00, because Anthony wasn’t home yet and they didn’t want to have two cars at Grandma’s. On the way to Grandma’s, we were going to stop by a hotel where Amber’s friend was staying (she was in town for the shower) and pick something up. Sounds good to me!

I decided to go through some photos from RAGBRAI while we waited to go pick up Amber. Christina let me know Amber needed ten more minutes to get ready. Sure, whatever. Ha ha ha… all these little details, I was just very “go with the flow.” It’s hard to coordinate with fourteen family members when we’re in town, so I try to be cool with whatever. I didn’t think anything… of anything!

I got a bit lost in looking at photos and all of a sudden Christina was telling me it was time to go, so I packed up my computer to bring with me and go through photos with family, later. We picked Amber up, and drove to the hotel. In the car, Amber said “I don’t like going in places by myself, will you guys come in with me?” Again, I thought nothing of this. NOTHING! I was just all “Sure, derpitty do, whatever you say.”

We walked in to the hotel and Amber told us we were meeting her friend in the pool area. Right away I said, “Aww man, they should invite us over to swim!” Ha ha. Then we walked in with Amber’s friend and I noticed a group of people toward the back… wait a minute! That’s my dad and Will! And all of my family!

Ha ha ha. They TOTALLY got me. I was not expecting to see them there, at all. I was not expecting a party!!!

So I went back there and mom handed me a golden birthday crown and some golden oreos.

I was really excited they were having a party for me, but felt bummed I didn’t have my swimming suit. “It’s here!” Christina told me. Um, how? “I went through all your stuff* this morning while you were out for a run.” Ha ha ha. Sneaky!

And it all started coming together. Christina and I had previously talked about going swimming after the shower and she had asked earlier that week if I remembered my swimsuit (yep). The calls throughout the day were my mom trying to figure out some stuff with the hotel room (Christina initially set it up, and Amber’s friends did use it) and the party, in general (the calls were not about the shower, so the joke was on me!). We had to pick up Amber a bit later because they didn’t have the party set up quite yet. Tricksters!

And better yet, when I had talked to my older brother earlier that week, he said he didn’t know if I’d get to see his kids (it wasn’t his week with them) but they were at the party! Yay! Great surprises all around!

Me, Christina, Alyssa, Nick and his sons

And… there was a birthday banner!!!

It made me feel so loved that my family went out of their way to celebrate my birthday, when we already had so much going on during the visit.

And they seriously tricked me – which surprises me! Christina said she was a bit worried about getting me to the hotel, without being suspicious, but really, when you’re with my family, and have a party the next day to boot, you’re running all sorts of errands, so I didn’t think anything of it!

I know this post is pretty long and drawn out with a lot of detail, but I wanted to remember how they made me feel when they surprised me (and how they tricked me)! Just writing this, and proof-reading it, brought a smile to my face.

*When Christina was digging around in my stuff she found the MBP bracelet. And was still surprised when I snuck it in her suitcase. Ha! But then she got me. AGAIN! She accidentally took the USB receiver for my mouse, and mailed it to my house. When I got the envelope on Wednesday and saw how big it was for a USB receiver, I said to Steven “That f*cking penis bracelet better not be in here!” Heh. You know it was. With a box of DOTS, nom!